Conventionally, there are a music game apparatus, a family keyboard, etc. as a music playing apparatus for an entertainment, for example. Such a music playing apparatus involves operating a button and a keyboard to the music (accompaniment) to be played, and determining a score and an evaluation according to a timing of the operation.
Also, one example of the related art is disclosed in a Japanese Patent Laying-open No. 2001-215963 [G10H 1/053, A63F 13/00, G09B 15/00, G10H 1/00] (document 1) laid-open on Aug. 10, 2001. In document 1, a music playing apparatus is disclosed in which a player simulates conducting an orchestra and the player swings an operating portion as a baton to thereby control a music playing state (tempo, volume). This enables the player to have a sense of engaging in playing the music.
In addition, another example of the related art is disclosed in a Japanese Patent Laying-open No. 2002-116754 [G10G 3/04] (document 2) laid-open on Apr. 19, 2002. A tempo extracting apparatus in document 2 takes a part of a sound signal provided in the form of an audio signal by a CD, broadcasting, etc. as an input signal, calculates an autocorrelation function of the input sound signal, and extracts a tempo of the sound signal on the basis of the calculation result.
However, in the conventional music playing apparatus, a button and a keyboard are operated to the music, and therefore, it is impossible for the player himself to enjoy playing the music. The same is true for the technique disclosed in document 1, and the player merely has a sense of engaging in playing the music, resulting in less entertaining element. Furthermore, in the technique disclosed in document 2, a tempo of the sound signal such as a CD, broadcasting is merely extracted, and the tempo played by the user is not extracted, and therefore, it is difficult to apply the technique to the music playing apparatus played by the user.
Therefore, it is an aspect of certain exemplary embodiments to provide a novel music playing apparatus, storage medium storing a music playing control program, and music playing control method.
Another aspect of certain exemplary embodiments is to provide a music playing apparatus, a storage medium storing a music playing control program, and a music playing control method which are able to enhance enjoyment of playing.
Certain exemplary embodiments adopt the following features in order to solve the above-described problems. It should be noted that the reference numerals inside the parentheses, supplement, etc. only show one example of a correspondence with the embodiment to be described later in order to aid the understanding of the present invention, and do not limit the present invention.
A music playing apparatus according to certain exemplary embodiments has an operating means allowing a user to perform an operation input and a storage means storing at least sound data. The music playing apparatus comprises a playing sound output means, a history storing means, a playing tempo detecting means, a determining means, and a specific sound output means. The playing sound output means outputs a sound being played on the basis of the sound data stored in the storage means in response to an operation input from the operating means. The history storing means stores a history of the operation input from the operating means in the storage means. The playing tempo detecting means detects a tempo being played on the basis of the history of the operation inputs over a predetermined period. The determining means determines whether or not the playing tempo detected by the playing tempo detecting means and a current operation input have a predetermined relationship. The specific sound output means outputs sound data corresponding to a specific sound stored in the storage means when it is determined to have the predetermined relationship by the determining means.
More specifically, the music playing apparatus (10) has an operating means (22, 24) allowing a user to perform an operation input and a storage means storing at least sound data (42). The music playing game apparatus comprises a playing sound output means (34, 36a, 36b, 48, S7), a history storing means (34, 42, S11), a playing tempo detecting means (34, S13), a determining means (34, S23, S25), and a specific sound output means (34, 36a, 36b, 48, S27). The playing sound output means outputs a sound being played on the basis of the sound data stored in the storage means in response to an operation input from the operating means. That is, the sound according to a playing by the user is output. The history storing means stores a history of the operation input from the operating means in the storage means. For example, a presence or absence of the operation input is stored every constant time period from the start of playing. The playing tempo detecting means detects a tempo being played on the basis of the history of the operation inputs over a predetermined period. The determining means determines whether or not the playing tempo detected by the playing tempo detecting means and a current operation input have a predetermined relationship. The specific sound output means outputs sound data corresponding to a specific sound stored in the storage means when it is determined to have the predetermined relationship by the determining means.
For example, a sound effect cheering up the playing is output. According to certain exemplary embodiments, a user can play what he or she wants, and depending on an evaluation whether or not the tempo of the playing sound and the current operation input have a predetermined relationship, a sound effect such as a clapping sound is output, enhancing an entertaining element.
In one aspect of certain exemplary embodiments, the playing tempo detecting means includes a history comparing means for comparing, more than once, a first history of the operation inputs over a predetermined period and a second history obtained by shifting the first history by a delayed time calculated according to a predetermined rule every different delayed time, and as to a comparison result of the history comparing means, the playing tempo is detected on the basis of the delayed time as to the second history having the highest degree of coincidence with the first history. More specifically, the history comparing means (34, S43, S45, S47, S51) compares, more than once, a first history of the operation inputs over the predetermined period before and a second history obtained by shifting the first history by a delay time calculated according to a predetermined rule every different delayed time. In this comparison result, the playing tempo is detected on the basis of the delayed time as to the second history having the highest degree of coincidence with the first history. That is, the playing tempo is specified by calculating an autocorrelation as to the timing of an operation input by the user. Thus, there is no need to play accompanying of a tune, and this enables the user himself to enjoy playing.
In one embodiment, the determining means determines whether or not the timing of the head of the quarter note in the playing tempo detected by the playing tempo detecting means and the timing of a current operation input are coincident or approximately coincident with each other. More specifically, the determining means determines whether or not the timing of the head of the quarter note in the playing tempo detected by the playing tempo detecting means and the timing of a current operation input are coincident or approximately coincident with each other. That is, it is determined whether or not a phase shifting (shift length) between the timing of the head of the quarter note in the playing tempo and the timing of the current operation input is within a constant range. Accordingly, a specific sound can be output only at a desired timing such as a timing of the head of the quarter note.
Another embodiment further comprises a playing tempo storing means for storing the playing tempo detected by the playing tempo detecting means in the storage means; a playing tempo change determining means for determining whether or not the playing tempo stored by the playing tempo storing means continues within a constant range; and a specific sound changing means for changing the specific sound when the determination result by the playing tempo change determining means is affirmative. More specifically, the music playing apparatus comprises a playing tempo storing means (34, S15), a playing tempo change determining means (34, S17), and a specific sound changing means (34, S19, S21). The playing tempo storing means stores the playing tempo detected by the playing tempo detecting means in the storage means. That is, the history of the playing tempo is recorded. The playing tempo change determining means determines whether or not the playing tempo continues within a constant range. For example, if the difference between the currently detected playing tempo and the previously detected playing tempo is within a constant range, it is determined that the playing tempo is stable, and if not so, it is determined that the playing tempo is unstable. The specific sound changing means changes the specific sound on the basis of a determination result of the playing tempo change determining means. For example, the volume of the specific sound is changed, another specific sound is output, and so forth. Thus, if the tempo is stable, a specific sound is changed to add other performances such as cheering up the playing, capable of adding an entertainment element.
A storage medium storing a music playing control program according to certain exemplary embodiments stores a music playing control program of a music playing apparatus having an operating means allowing a user to perform an operation input and a storage means storing at least sound data. The music playing control program causes a processor of a music playing apparatus as a playing sound output means, a history storing means, a playing tempo detecting means, a determining means, and a specific sound output means. The playing sound output means outputs a playing sound on the basis of the sound data stored in the storage means in response to the operation input from the operating means. The history storing means stores a history of the operation inputs from the operating means in the storage means. The playing tempo detecting means detects a tempo being played on the basis of the history of the operation inputs over a predetermined period. The determining means determines whether or not the playing tempo detected by the playing tempo detecting means and a current operation input have a predetermined relationship. The specific sound output means outputs sound data corresponding to a specific sound stored in the storage means when it is determined to have the predetermined relationship by the determining means.
In the exemplary embodiment of the storage medium storing a music playing control program also, similarly to the above-described music playing apparatus, it is possible to enhance the entertaining element.
A music playing control method according to certain exemplary embodiments is a music playing control method of a music playing apparatus having an operating means allowing a user to perform an operation input and a storage means storing at least sound data. The music playing control method includes next steps of (a) outputting a playing sound on the basis of the sound data stored in the storage means in response to an operation input from the operating means, (b) storing a history of the operation inputs from the operating means in the storage means, (c) detecting a playing tempo on the basis of the history of the operation inputs over a predetermined period, (d) determining whether or not the playing tempo detected by the step (c) and a current operation input have a predetermined relationship, and (e) outputting sound data corresponding to a specific sound stored in the storage means when it is determined to have the predetermined relationship by the step (d).
In the exemplary embodiment of the music playing control method also, similarly to the above-described music playing apparatus, it is possible to enhance the entertaining element.
The above described and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.